Purpose to preserve baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells at the time of his birth?
The cord carries nutrient rich blood and gases to the fetus through the arteries and veins it encloses. After delivery, a major portion of the umbilical cord is discarded, and the smaller portion left attached to the infant is allowed to dry off. Cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells, progenitor cells which can form red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Cord blood cells are currently used to treat blood and immune system related genetic diseases, cancers and blood disorders. Medical critics of routine cord blood collection emphasize that if neonatal cord blood is so physiologically valuable, it is of great benefit for the neonate to receive upon birth. Cord blood is more like a ‘biological future health insurance’ for the newborn baby and its future offspring’s and siblings.
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Blood can be collected from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby shortly after birth. This blood is rich in cord blood stem cells that can be used to generate blood cells and cells of the immune system.
Blood stem cells can be used to treat a range of blood disorders and immune system conditions such as leukemia and sickle cell anaemia.
Once collected, cord blood can be stored in a ‘cord blood bank’ for use as a potential source of tissue for transplant for that baby should it ever is required. As this blood originated from the person receiving it, there would be no problem with rejection of the transplanted tissue.
Alternatively, the cord blood may be donated to a general cord blood bank for use by other people in need of a transplant. It is hoped that over time, a store of cord blood samples from people of different tissue types may be established. Someone requiring a transplant would be treated with stem cells from the sample most closely matching their own tissue type, thus minimizing complications associated with tissue rejection.
Cord blood stem cells are currently used in the treatment of several life-threatening diseases, and play an important role in the treatment of blood and immune system related genetic diseases, cancers, and blood disorders.
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